Touch-regulator for pianos.



PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908. C. E. PRYOR. TGUGH REGULATOR POB PIANOS. v

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V if* 'Arronufr WITNESSES:

No. 897,556. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.` C. E. PRYOR. n TOUCH REGULATOR FOB P IANOS.

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y CLARENCE E. PRYOR, OF BINGHAMTON,A NEW YORK.

TOUCH-REGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 25, 1907.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

serial No. 370,311.

M key liolding and touch regulating devices for pianos, in whi ch hinged springs rest upon the rey bars and are released and tightened by means of a hinged bar; also my device can be used to regulate touch for manual work.

It is to be observed that the rapid motion of the pneumatics in player pianos, or the rapid movements in manual Work will cause a recoiling of the piano keys sufficient to interfere with the replacing of the jack in position under the butt, so as to destroy the rapid effect that is required of it. It is to be further observed that from the constant action of the end of the piano key upon the felt support beneath it there is a resultant wear which causes an audible lay or rattle in the T ese various obj ections are obviated by my device. By the use of my invention the key is held rigid enough to overcome all these diliculties.

Therefore the object of m invention is to stop the rebound caused y the abstract dropping on the ca stan screw when the abstract is released fiom delivering the ham mer to the string and thus to make it ossible toplay the most rapid parts, by hol ing the key so that there is no rebounding effect; and also to increase or decrease the pressure on the keys, making it possible to manipulate the keys manua y at the same time a player is in o eration. The attachment can also be use to regulate the touch for manual work. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompan 1ing drawing in which vFigure 1 is a sectiona view of a piano action taken on the line 1, 1, of Fig. 2 showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of a portion of a key board showin my invention applied. Fig. 3 is a detaile cross section showing my invention.

when it is out of action. Fig. 4,is a detail view of a sli htly modified form of the invention. Similgar letters refer to similarV parts throughout the several views.

The letter N, designates the piano action as a whole.

On the bed frame S, is the support T which extends the length of the key board 5 hinged upon this rest S, I have the bar or strip U attached to which is a curved arm V extendin to the hinged point W, and at the point W? is connected the bar X which has a hinged connection at the other end at Y with the handle lever Z turning on the pivot Z2. Beneath the hinged supporting bar U, is the curved spring U2 fastened or attached to the hinged bar by having its end embedded therein or in any other suitable manner. The curved spring U2 which has an intermediate curl 5 extends over and rests in a grooved plate 7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which plate surinounts and is attached to the key bar H. By this flexible curved spring resting upon and surmounting the key bar at H, there is a gentle pressure continuously brought to bear upon the key bar which affects the action of the key. This curved spring U2 and its bearing upon the key bar is adjustable so that the ressure upon the key bar may be increased) or lessened or it may be thrown back, completely disengaged as shown in Fig. 3 if the manipulator so desires. To increase the pressure upon the key bar by the curved spring U2, I pull forward the hand lever Z toward the front of the ke G which pushes backward the bar X', whic in turn pushes forward the curved bar V, which pushes down the hinged bar U, which in turn pushes downthe end of the curved spring U2 upon the grooved plate 7, thereby increasingithe pressure of the curved spring upon the e at 'this point; and thus there is an increase resisting pressure upon the key which re uires a stronger touch to manipulate. If wish to make the mani ulation of the key more easy, I push bac ward the handle lever-Z. v

If desired, the bar supporting the s rings can be raised vertically as shown in ig. 4, instead of being a hinged bar. By this device the pressure required to be used on the keys may be varied at will and at the same time the entle constant pressure of the curved spring Uz u on the key regulates the movement of the eys so as to permit the upright jack to assume its position under the butt, and thus kee in regular steady action all the parts; by t is control of the key bar also the too free play and vibration of the key bar is completely obviated and the rattle or excessive play of the keys, no matter how rapid the manipulation of the key board or how worn may be the felt key rest, is prevented.

This device may be applied to player pi'- anos as well as all pianos. Some players or o erators of player pianos are annoyed by t e constant shake and rattle of the keys when they are playing the piano by the pneumatics. My invention can therefore be applied so as to hold the keys down rigid y while such pneumatic playing is in progress, or prevent any rattle of the keys during such playing. In player pianos the operator frequently desires to introduce some manu al playing at the same time as he is playing all the pneumatios, in which case my device enables this voluntary manipulation by the player to be exercised without interfering in -any way with the pneumatic action.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and for WhichAI desire Letters Patent is as follows:

A touch regulator for pianos and the like instruments comprising in combination with a longitudinal support arranged adjacent the rear inner ends of the keys, a bar hinged along one edge to said support, a lever arm carried by theend of said bar, means connected to said lever arm to rock the bar upon its pivotal center, and springs carried by the bar, said springs overhanging and ada ted to engage the inner ends of the keys t e' bar having a longitudinal groove in its under face and being shouldered inward from the upper outer edge thereof, the springs being passed through the material of the bar at the base of the shouldered portion and having hooked ends embedded in the grooved portion in the under face of the bar.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 4o lVlitnesses:

FLINT W. WRIGHT, L. M. ALBER. 

